HEADLINE: UBU MAYOR IS A HARMFUL BIT OF FUN

Just in time for Toronto’s highly anticipated municipal election, Toronto’s always impressive One Little Goat Theatre Company” presents the world premiere of Ubu Mayor: A Harmful Bit of Fun. Written, directed and composed by Artistic Director Adam Seelig, this production is One Little Goat’s first to feature live music. It combines the internationally broadcast antics, absurdities and obscenities of Toronto’s mayor with the radical spirit of Ubu Roi, French writer Alfred Jarry’s merde-filled masterpiece of 1896.

The production, which represents Adam Seelig’s first musical, opens Friday, September 12, 2014 and runs to Sunday, September 21, Tuesdays – Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. at the Wychwood Theatre, 601 Christie Street, located in Artscape’s Wychwood Barns.
“I’m uneasy with the idea of musicals, even if they worked for Brecht,” he says, “so I prefer to call Ubu Mayor a play with music.” Seelig’s original, bitingly satirical songs for the play include B-b-b-b-b-bacon, Etobicokaine, Plenty to Eat at Home and others.

Ubu Mayor combines the buffoonery of Alfred Jarry’s dadaist classic with the widely reported, alleged sexist, racist, homophobic and criminal scandals of Toronto’s current mayor, along with his city councillor brother. Nevertheless, the play does not directly represent actual political figures.
“This is not journalistic theatre,” says Seelig, “nor is it political or verbatim theatre. People familiar with the recent mayoral scandals will appreciate how they’re woven into the play. Those who don’t will simply enjoy Ubu Mayor for what it truly is: an all-out romp of asinine absurdity.”

Arranging the music and live band for the production is virtuoso bassist Tyler Emond. Emond regularly accompanies leading musicians in multiple genres, including multi-gold album artist Matt Dusk, Jessica Stuart, Mr. Something Something and Randy Brecker; and his own bands, Hylia and Tin Can Man. He is the 2007 recipient of Humber College’s highest distinction in music, the Oscar Peterson Prize.

Ubu Mayor involves a mayor (Ubu) whose wife (Huhu) is having an affair with his older brother (Dudu). Ubu wants Huhu to love him again and Ubu wants what’s best for the city, but both his love and his political ideals are foiled by brother Dudu’s machinations. The three-person Equity cast will be announced this summer.